


Healing

by UndeadFae



Category: Inazuma Eleven
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hospitalization, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Not Beta Read, kidou is there, so is the rest of the teikoku, these two are very much gay even without kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:22:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23889670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UndeadFae/pseuds/UndeadFae
Summary: After their disastrous match against the Zeus, the Teikoku is doing their best to just heal and recover. It's not so easy knowing how much their keeper had to go through for their sake. Sakuma won't leave him alone.
Relationships: Genda Koujirou/Sakuma Jirou
Comments: 7
Kudos: 24





	Healing

**Author's Note:**

> i've had this as a wip for ages... please appreciate my effort :')

The match against the Zeus hadn't been just a disaster. It was a massacre.

The entire team had been severely injured, but no one as badly as Genda, the keeper still valiantly trying his hardest to stop those lethal shots and protect the goal, even after seeing the danger they posed, even when it was all useless and they had already lost, standing back up over and over again even when his body was about to break and fall.

He was rushed into the ambulance as soon as he hit the ground, a bloody and broken mess out cold before he even fell. That was the last thing Sakuma saw before everything went black.

* * *

Sakuma woke up to a sliver of pain worming its way through the fog of painkillers. Squinting against the light of the room, he weakly turned his head in an attempt to hide into his pillow and go back to sleep.

"Sakuma...? Sakuma? Are you awake?" He groaned hearing his name, forcing his eye open when he couldn't go back to sleep.

"Kidou...?" His friend was sitting on a chair next to the bed, carefully watching him for any sign of anything wrong. Even with his efforts to keep himself calm and composed, his worry was still painfully clear.

"How are you feeling?" Sakuma just groaned. He didn't even want to talk anymore, a headache already beginning to form.

"Like shit... w-what the hell...?" Kidou didn't reply right away, a fist clenched in anger and frustration. That was the first sign that something was very wrong.

"... Our last match... against the Zeus. Do you remember?" For a moment, Sakuma was just confused, too bothered by the pain to focus. Then, the memories of that match came back to him, of the arrogant smirk of that self-proclaimed god as he threw them aside like insignificant flies. His grimace was enough of an answer on its own.

Then, something else came to his mind. Sakuma looked around almost frantically, rushing to get out of the bed- or at least tried to, the pain all over his body and in his broken leg enough to stop him already.

"Hey- what are you doing?" Kidou stopped him before he could fall off, carefully pushing him back on the bed before his stubbornness could aggravate his injuries.

"Where is Genda?" The hazy image of his friend collapsing flashed through his mind, charred gloves and torn uniform smeared in blood. "He..." Sakuma cut himself off, refusing to spiral down that dark train of thoughts. Genda had to be fine, right?

Kidou sighed, lips pressed into a thin line and eyebrows knitted together in worry, before sighing and conceding defeat.

"Just... wait a moment and let me get a wheelchair, alright? You're in no condition to walk." Sakuma might be stubborn, but he was aware of his limits. Huffing, he begrudgingly agreed, already knowing he wouldn't get too far on his own.

When Kidou left the room, he found out he couldn't quite calm down his racing heartbeat. When they entered the intensive care unit, Sakuma started to feel sick to his stomach, dread building up and fear threatening to drown him.

When he was brought into the room, the sight that greeted him nearly made his heart stop, mocking him with their failure. Laying in that bed with an IV, a cast on his arm and a breathing mask, covered in bandages and with what little skin could be seen a scarily pale shade, Genda looked so painfully fragile, one breath away from completely falling apart. The barely noticeable rise of his chest and constant beeping of the heart monitor did little to reassure him. When he pushed himself closer, Sakuma saw how there wasn't an inch of Genda's hands visible under the bandages, a faint red staining the white even through the thick layer of fabric. It was a far cry from the strong and proud king of keepers.

"The doctors said his injuries were worse than the rest of the team." Sakuma had been so lost taking in all of Genda's wounds he almost forgot Kidou was there. He just crossed his arms and looked away, a carefully crafted air of indifference Sakuma could easily decipher as the worry Kidou didn't quite know how to express. "There was some internal bleeding, but thankfully it wasn't life threatening." His voice grew cold, as if he was forcefully detaching himself just to repeat what the doctors told him. "He needed a few stitches and the cast- his arm is broken and... his hands took some of the worst damage... they're not sure when he'll wake up." The _if_ was left unspoken, already painfully clear to them both.

"... I... I see..."

The rest of the afternoon was quiet, Sakuma absently watching Genda's chest rise and fall, reminding himself that he's still alive. It did little to ease the aching worry building up inside him.

He remembered the last dreadful minutes of that match painfully well, how Aphrodi effortlessly took the ball from, how he just smiled, mocked Genda's anger and pride as he still pushed himself to stand up and protect their goal. How his shot was destroying everything in its path, yet Genda still refused to move, still tried to stop it even when there was no point in fighting back anymore.

Maybe if he hadn't been so reckless, if he hadn't let his anger take over... maybe Genda wouldn't be this hurt.

When the visiting hours were almost over, Kidou helped Sakuma back to his room, leaving with an awkward goodbye and a promise to come back the following day.

Sakuma didn't sleep well that night.

* * *

The following days were a haze, going to Genda's room early in the morning with or without help and watching over his friend, absently following that routine every single day. Sometimes he tried to talk to him until he devolved into a rambling mess and had to cut himself off before his voice could crack. Other days were quiet, just looking at him and listening to the constant beeping until his mind felt numb. Kidou still tried to visit as often as he could, but ever since he joined the Raimon team for revenge his days had been too filled with training, matches and his own anger to go to the hospital every day.

It was getting harder and harder to wait for him to open his eyes when the rest of the team was already up and recovering. Even when they tried their best to come keep him company and visit their keeper every day, Sakuma couldn't help the loneliness threatening to drown him. It didn't take much longer for Genda to be the only one still missing, a painfully clear absence in their team.

No one really wanted to admit it, but Genda's absence was painfully clear to everyone, a gaping hole no one could fill. Even with his stoic and quiet demeanor, Genda was the team's pillar, the one who helped everyone even when it meant disregarding himself, no matter how much everyone was against it. They all needed him back. Sakuma more than anyone else.

* * *

Sakuma wasn’t sure how many days had passed. He wasn’t sure he even wanted to know, just pushing himself day after day to be at Genda’s side. It was the least he could do after failing him so horribly. On a few occasions, when the rest of the team was well enough to get up and walk with him, they tried to stop him, to make him go back to his own room to rest. He needed it as much –if not more- as all of them, especially after being one of the first to receive Zeus’ brutal attack. Sakuma refused to listen, stubbornly pushing his wheelchair, his silence only broken by his soft curses when he couldn’t quite move it the way he wanted or hit a sore spot. More often than not, whoever was up and looking after him –as much as Sakuma insisted that it was fine, he didn’t need a babysitter- just followed, all of them just as worried for Genda as he was.

Sometimes it was Narukami, unusually pale and quiet as he waited at his side, a hand always shakily gripping his headphones as tight as he could manage. Sometimes it was Sakiyama, always tense and staying a few steps back as if afraid to intrude into something personal, his presence oddly comforting despite his eerie silence everyone had grown used to. On a few occasions it was Henmi, awkwardly waiting by the door when he wasn’t pacing a corner of the room in his distress, never managing to hide it. A few times Doumen had walked in, the more talkative out of all of them, asking Sakuma if he needed anything and how he was feeling, his voice filling in the suffocating silence.

Sakuma barely managed to check on everyone else, too distraught to even check on himself. No one blamed him for it.

* * *

As he was already used to, Sakuma wheeled himself into Genda’s room as early in the morning as he could. Genda still looked terrible, Sakuma forcing himself to look away before his sight could be blurred by tears. He could never get used to seeing him so quiet, pale and scarily still.

“… When are you going to wake up? You’re scaring everyone now, you know…” He wasn’t sure why he was trying to talk anymore, knowing too well that he wouldn’t be getting an answer, that it was all pointless. “Some of the others are already being discharged, the doctors said they weren’t hurt as badly as us… lucky them.” He sighed, turning to the window. It was sunny outside, a perfect day to leave the pitch and go practice in the open, even when it got their uniforms covered in dirt and mud. “… We miss you- we all need you back… so please…”

Silence was his only answer.

Shoulders slumping in defeat, Sakuma leaned back on the wheelchair, letting himself be carried away by his own thoughts as his gaze wandered to the outside. Their friends that had already been discharged must already be preparing to pick up their training, always too stubborn for their own good. It was the one thing they all had in common, never giving up no matter what. They had a lot of work to do to catch up now, after all, they’ve been stuck in a hospital room for too long.

"S-Sa...kuma...?" He blinked, snapping out of his thoughts and looking at the bed. Genda was glancing at him, eyes hazy and barely focusing, but finally open. His voice was hoarse and muffled by the mask, a low and raspy whisper after days not using it, yet it was the best thing Sakuma has heard in days. He was awake, he was awake and still alive.

"G-Genda?!" His breath caught in his throat and he pushed the wheelchair closer to the bed, barely remembering to push the button next to it. "H-hey... how are you feeling...?"

“H-hurts…” Of course- what sort of question was that, after waking up from such a hell?

“Y-yeah, I’m sorry… you’ll feel better soon, I promise…” It felt like empty words, but if that was what it took to reassure him, to comfort him after all he was going through, then he would repeat it over and over.

While they waited, all he did was put a hand on Genda’s shoulder, too afraid of hurting him to touch his hands, softly murmuring kind words to him in an attempt to reassure him and help with his pain. He didn’t stop until someone finally stepped into the room, the nurse watching them between worry and fear, a doctor quickly walking in behind her.

Reluctantly, he had to allow the nurse to take him out of the room so they could properly check Genda and make sure he was ok. She tried to reassure him that everything would be alright, that now that his friend was awake he would likely recover without any issue. He still struggled to believe her.

When he pushed himself into the room the following morning, Genda was fast asleep in his bed. He didn't look much better than before, but at least the breathing mask and monitor were gone. He was still pale and injured, but he looked more alive than before. Sakuma quietly let out a relieved sigh, making himself comfortable as he waited for him to wake up. He stubbornly ignored the little whispers at the back of his head saying that he might not wake up again.

After what felt like hours, Genda finally stirred, groaning as he forced himself to open his eyes, shutting them as soon as the sunlight hit him. When in his haze he tried to roll over and go back to sleep, he winced, flinching and groaning in pain as he tried to sit up, bruises and injuries now making their presence very well known.

“Hey- be careful, you’ll hurt yourself like that-”

“A b-bit… late for t-that…” Giving up on his efforts, Genda quietly laid down in bed again, taking some time to just breathe and let the pain calm down a bit.

“Take it easy, I’ll call a nurse for you.” Genda gave a soft nod, focusing himself on breathing and resting.

Some time later, and the nurse had come to check on him, make sure everything was healing as it should be and giving him a new dose of much needed painkillers. Sakuma didn’t even want to imagine how he was feeling, let alone how he could even manage to stay awake through the pain. His resilience could end up being his undoing one day.

As hard as he tried to stay awake, to stay with him and talk to him, the painkillers were already starting to work, Sakuma could tell just by seeing his struggles.

“Go to sleep, alright? You need to rest. I’ll be here for you, don’t worry.” He forced himself to smile, as much as it pained him to see Genda so hurt.

“… Alright…” He was no longer fighting it, his eyes already closing on their own. “… Sakuma…?”

“What is it?”

“… Thank you…” Before he could reply, Genda was already fast asleep, looking finally at ease.

“… I would do anything for you, you idiot.”

* * *

As soon as the news spread of Genda finally waking up, the rest of the team had become quite literally the definition of chaos. Narukami and Doumen were the first to rush into the room, Henmi and Sakiyama quickly following, Jimon eventually managing to limp his way in as well. Genda didn’t even have the time to greet them- as soon as Narukami saw him awake and sitting on the bed, he quickly burst out crying in a mixture of fear and relief, Doumen already panicking and trying to calm his friend down. As much as Henmi tried to help, they all could see how teary eyed he was getting, his voice wavering. While Jimon tried in vain to get them to at least lower the volume, Sakiyama quietly asked Genda how he was doing, more relaxed than he had looked in days. Sakuma wasn’t sure how they managed not to get kicked out.

Later that same day, Kidou almost ran into the room, disheveled, sweaty and still sporting the Raimon soccer uniform, running all the way from the school to the hospital as soon as their practice was over, not even bothering to get changed first. It only took being finally able to speak to Genda, to see him finally recovering, to help him calm down and relax, a weak smile on his face as he watched his friend. Even some of the other Raimon members came to check every once in a while- they were slowly getting used to see Endou walk in with his stupidly bright smirk, occasionally dragging one of his friends along, excitedly talking about the progress they were doing and reminding them all that there was no way out of a friendly match as soon as everyone was recovered and discharged.

It was an odd and unexpected change of pace, a far cry from their first meeting and terrifying one sided match, but it was appreciated nonetheless. They were already on their way to become friends, and that was good enough for now.

* * *

When the doctors deemed Genda's condition good enough to be moved out of the intensive care, Sakuma was the first to insist and nearly beg to let them stay in the same room. There wasn’t much the doctors could say against his desperate plea when the entire team insisted, even Kidou politely requesting it for their sake once he heard of it.

Sakuma nearly cried when they finally transferred Genda to his room, not caring enough to hide his tears in front of strangers. Genda was there, alive, awake and recovering. It was all he could ask for now.

* * *

Even when Genda’s injuries were healing, there was still a problem.

His hands were almost numb, clumsy and struggling with even the simplest of movements, nothing like the flawless grace and speed they held when he tried to stop a shot. The doctors said he needed rehabilitation therapy if he wanted to use them normally again, let alone go back to playing. If that would even be possible, no one could tell for sure- no one dared to even question it. Sakuma could hear how something broke in his voice when Genda told him about the tests' results, about what the doctors said while shaking their heads. Sakuma could also see how something ignited in his eyes, how they were burning with a silent resolution. It didn't matter how long it took or how much it hurt, no one was stopping the king from returning to his position, to where he belonged.

It was easier said than done when his bones were still being held in place by a cast.

"Damn it..." Genda was glaring at his hands. If it wasn't for how he struggled with the simplest movements, he would be clenching them into tight fists. His progress was slow, painfully so, and it was starting to show.

Everyone was healing, was very clearly getting better. It wasn’t hard to see how he was feeling like he had been left behind.

Without a word, Sakuma got up from his bed- even when the nurses would be fussing over him before forcing him back in bed for even daring to think of getting out of it without a wheelchair. Slowly and carefully, leaning against the wall and doing his best not to put any weight on his still healing leg, he moved closer to the other bed, sitting next to Genda, an arm around his shoulders and a hand gently resting over his.

Then, he took a deep breath.

“ _You are my sunshine, my only sunshine… you make me happy when skies are grey…_ ” Sakuma could already feel his cheeks tinting red, the words almost awkward and stiff as they came out of his mouth. He was pretty sure something was way off tune too. He didn’t care, slowly continuing, moving through the song he could remember Genda softly singing countless times. It was his song, the one he used to help them when they were at their lowest. It was him who needed it now, and Sakuma would gladly give it back to him. “ _You never know, dear, how much I love you… Please don’t take my sunshine away…_ ”

By the end of the song, Sakuma could feel him shaking in his arms. Genda didn’t say anything, just turned enough to wrap his arms around him, hiding his face in the crook of his neck. He didn’t mention the wetness he felt against his skin, nor the drops now staining his shirt.

“Thank you…”

“Anything for you…”

* * *

As soon as the cast was off, Genda was trying harder, pushing himself to the point of scaring everyone around him, but calming down and allowing himself to rest when asked to. There was a new determination shining in his eyes, something more than just the rage burning inside. He still wasn’t nowhere near close to fully recovering, still struggling to do most things with his hands, still angry and frustrated at himself for it, but it wasn’t holding him back anymore, just pushing him to do better and keep trying.

“You shouldn’t be pushing yourself so hard…” As if everyone else didn’t know that he would be already out of bed and trying to walk around, had it not been for his broken leg.

“I have to recover quickly- everyone is waiting for me.” Genda was sitting right next to him on the edge of the bed, tentatively closing and opening his hands, watching them carefully. The movements were still slow and sluggish, but there was some progress in there if he focused enough on it. “… How are you feeling, though? You…”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry.” He wasn’t fine, Genda could tell. “I just… have to keep resting. I’ll be back on my feet before you even realize it.” They both hoped so.

For a while they were quiet, Genda still looking down at his hands while Sakuma looked away, the cast that still couldn’t be taken off suddenly feeling a lot heavier.

“Hey.” Sakuma blinked, turning to look at Genda, taking in his frown and his furrowed brow. “You think you can scoot over a bit?” As confused as he was by the sudden request, Sakuma nodded, carefully lifting his leg with the cast first, slowly moving it before finally scooting over. Before he could ask why, Genda lifted his legs and got comfortable in bed next to him, pulling him closer in gentle hug. Sakuma refused to admit how warm his face suddenly felt.

“Y-you shouldn’t be doing this- what if you get hurt again?”

“I’ll be careful. Besides, you need it.” He was right- just being so close to him, feeling his warmth and listening to his heartbeat was enough to put him at ease, to make him relax and calm down after days of nothing but constant pain, fear and worry. It was what he needed.

“… Thanks… you always know how to make me feel better…” It was amazing, really, how easily Genda could make him forget everything that was going wrong, make him focus on those small things that would brighten his day.

“I’m just glad to help you.”

They didn’t need any more words to fill in the silence, content just lying there as Genda held him close. They would get through this as long as they were together.


End file.
